1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing-line guiding apparatuses. More specifically, the present invention relates to fishing-line guiding apparatuses fitted pivotally to fore-ends of first and second rotor arms of a spinning-reel for guiding fishing line onto a spool.
2. Background Information
Spinning-reel rotors are usually equipped with a bail arm for guiding fishing line onto the spool. The bail arm is one example of a fishing-line guiding apparatus. The bail arm is mounted on fore-ends of first and second arms of a rotor, and pivots between a line-releasing posture and a line-retrieving posture. The bail arm has first and second bail-support members, a stationary shaft, a stationary shaft cover, a line roller, and a bail. The bail is mounted on the fore-ends of the first and second rotor arms. Each arm is configured to pivot. The stationary shaft is a rod, one end of which is fixed to the first bail-support member. The stationary shaft cover is a cap provided on the other end of the stationary shaft and spaced at a interval from the first bail-support member. The line roller is made of metal and is rotatably attached to the stationary shaft. The outer periphery of the roller guides the fishing line. The bail is made of metal wire, and is provided to extend between the second bail-support member and the stationary shaft cover.
To design lightweight rotors, first and second bail-support members of the bail arms made with synthetic resin such as nylon 66 strengthened with, e.g., fiberglass are known.
The bail arm is flipped into the line-releasing posture to reel fishing line out from the spool. When the bail arm is restored into the line-retrieving posture, the fishing line passes over the stationary shaft cover and is guided by the line roller. The fishing line contacts and rubs on the bail. Further, the fishing line is guided onto the spool.
Japanese Laid-Open Pat. App. Pub. No. 10-117644 discloses a bail arm that has a stationary shaft cover with a rounded conical shape in order to guide fishing line smoothly onto the line roller. The bail and stationary shaft cover of this bail arm are configured such that the distance between where the fishing-line on the guide side contacts the part of the bail and the stationary shaft cover on the line-roller side, and where the fishing-line contacts the spool becomes accordingly shorter in a direction from the bail to the line roller. To realize this, the stationary shaft cover is made into a triangular conic shape whose apex is off-centered so as to point in a reel rear direction and outward in a diametrical direction of the spool. Further, in order to conceal the apex of the stationary shaft cover, the bail is inserted in the vicinity of the apex into a ridgeline on the fishing-line guide side, and is joined smoothly with the ridgeline.
When the foregoing conventional bail arm guides fishing line from the bail to the line roller, the bail arm usually guides the fishing line smoothly and line snarl is unlikely to occur. Nevertheless, due to such factors as line-slack, the fishing line can wrap over the side of the bail opposite the side that the fishing line contacts when guided. When the fishing line shifts from the bail to the stationary shaft cover, it is liable to snag on the projecting apical part of the stationary shaft cover.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a spinning-wheel line guiding apparatus that overcomes the above-mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
An object of the present invention is to prevent fishing line snarl on the bail arm, even if the fishing line slackens and wraps over the side opposite the line-guiding side.
A spinning-reel fishing-line guiding apparatus in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention is mounted on fore-ends of first and second rotor arms. The apparatus pivots between a line-releasing posture and a line-retrieving posture, and guides fishing line onto the spinning-reel spool. The apparatus has first and second bail-support members, a stationary shaft, a stationary shaft cover, and a bail. The first and second bail-support members are mounted pivotally on respective fore-ends of the first and second rotor arms. The stationary shaft is a rod that projects from the first bail-support member. The stationary shaft cover is provided on the projecting end of the stationary shaft. The stationary shaft cover is spaced from the first bail-support member. Using the axial center of the stationary shaft a reference, the stationary shaft cover has an approximately round cone shape whose apex is situated rearward of the spinning reel and diametrically outward of the spool when the bail arm is in a line retrieving posture. The line roller is rotatably attached to the stationary shaft. The bail is inserted and fastened at either end into the second bail-support member and the apex of the stationary shaft cover. The bail is joined smoothly with a first ridgeline on the fishing-line guiding side of the stationary shaft cover and a second ridgeline opposing the first ridgeline in flanking the apex.
The fishing-line guiding apparatus is pivoted into the line-releasing posture to facilitate casting. It is flipped over from the line-releasing posture into the line-guiding posture when the terminal tackle lands on the water surface after casting. Then, when the rotor is rotated, fishing line on the fishing-line guiding end is guided from the bail over the stationary shaft cover onto the line roller. Changing direction on the line roller, the fishing line, is then wound onto an outer periphery of the spool. Further, when the fishing-line guiding apparatus is flipped into the line-retrieving posture, slack in the fishing line can arise due to the impact of winds, etc. causing the fishing line to wrap over the side of the bail opposite the fishing-line guiding side.
Since the wire-fabricated bail is fixed in the apex of the roughly round-conical stationary shaft cover and the bail is joined smoothly into the first ridgeline on the fishing-line guiding side, snagging areas on the fishing-line guiding side are eliminated. Thus, when the fishing line is guided on the fishing-line guiding side from the bail to the stationary shaft cover, the fishing line is not liable to snag in the border area between the bail and the stationary shaft cover. Further, if the fishing line were to wrap over the side of the bail opposite the fishing-line guiding side, the bail is fitted into the apex of the stationary shaft cover and is joined smoothly to the second ridgeline on the side opposite the fishing-line guiding side. Thus, snagging areas on the side opposite the fishing-line guiding side are eliminated, and the fishing line is not liable to snag in the border area. Therefore, even if slackened fishing line wraps over onto the side opposite the fishing-line guiding side, it is not apt to snarl on the bail arm. Moreover, since the bail is made of wire, it may be made at a finer diameter compared to bails made of pipe. Even fine wet fishing line is not liable get stuck on the bail, nor is the fishing line apt to become snarled by the bail arm.
A spinning-reel fishing-line guiding apparatus in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention is the apparatus of the first aspect further having a mounting hole. The mounting hole is formed in the apex of the stationary shaft cover. A rim of the mounting hole is formed on a peripheral surface of the first ridgeline on the stationary shaft cover. The rim of the mounting hole is skewed to constitute an arcuate portion of an ellipse. When the fishing line shifts from the bail to the stationary shaft cover and contacts both the bail and the stationary shaft cover in the skewed rim area, the fishing line rides over onto the first ridgeline on the stationary shaft cover because the rim of the mounting hole is elliptical and formed at a slant. Therefore, the fishing line rides smoothly over from the bail to the stationary shaft cover and is guided smoothly onto the stationary shaft cover.
A spinning-reel fishing-line guiding apparatus in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention is the apparatus of the second aspect, wherein the ellipse is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane intersecting the center axis of the bail mounted in the stationary shaft cover. In this case, the fishing line is guided smoothly in the elliptical inclined area.
A spinning-reel fishing-line guiding apparatus in accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention is the apparatus of the third aspect, wherein the ellipse in length along its major axis, which is toward the first-ridgeline, is two times or less the bail in diameter. In this case, even if fishing line that has gotten snagged on the side opposite the fishing-line guiding side exerts a strong force on the bail toward its fishing-line guiding side, the bail is prevented from bending toward the fishing-line guiding side.
A spinning-reel fishing-line guiding apparatus in accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention is the apparatus of any of the previously mentioned aspects, wherein the stationary shaft and the stationary shaft cover are integrally formed and made of metal. Since, the number of parts, assembling steps, and processing steps may be curtailed, manufacturing costs can be reduced.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.